Title: Le Chèri d'Ike (Ike's Sweetheart)
Pairing(s): IkeXLink, MarthXPit
Rating: T
A/N: A Valentine's Day-themed fic towards my ever-beloved couple~ Ike and Link discover one another amid their bitter friendship.
A little different, this one is...
Marth and Pit: There is something mystical about those two. I couldn't resist writing them (and I kind of incorporated a little bit of BWQ's Pit in here, too).
I added a little French as well (the words are in bold, as well as their translations), so you can learn how to say a few things to your sweetheart! 8D
Enjoy!
Link didn't really care much for Valentine's Day when it came to being lovey-dovey, tingly, and goo-goo-eyed over someone he admired.
That stupid, Sir Cupid never struck him in the hide with one of those heart-pointed arrows...
But what he did care deeply and passionately about were the yummy, scrumptious, mouth-watering candies, treats and desserts he'd receive from his comrades, often by the truckloads.
The chocolates—rich, dark, milk chocolate, white, crème!—the hard, succulent candies that secrete wondrous, fruity juices—lollipops of every flavor and every color of the spectrum—and the chewy, gelatin-based, sugar-coated taffies and truffles and caramel turtles and éclairs and gumdrops and the list is continuous, rivaling that of the number infinity!
With that giving him something to look forward to—and might I include with his taste buds anticipating the saccharine orgasm to come—who needs a companion? Nothing could ever be possibly sweeter than that of candy!
But little did the blonde know, Sir Cupid had struck this unsuspecting newcomer the very instance his dazzled, cerulean irises stuck his skin...
...Ike.
But Link would have never known this, for their relationship with one another was that of a cat and a dog: eternal, forlorn hatred. How ever did this abnormal bond form if the mercenary adored him so? That is an inquiry that only the indigo-haired swordsman could answer himself, which is why the Hylian is bestowed unknowingly with the title "Le Chéri d'Ike"...
Ike's Sweetheart.
"Je t'aime"
"Pit, love, we need more flowers!" called Prince Marth from below... a few meters, give or take. The little cherub was dressing the curtains of the mansion with very Valentine-oriented draperies as mandated by the Peach Valentine Committee, a group of which he, his lover Prince Marth, and the females of the manor were active, dedicated members in. Recoating the Smash Mansion in a vivid, sugary-pink for this forthcoming, special day was on the mind of the princess herself, but it was more than likely that Master Hand would not approve of the vandalizing—and offending to some—shade. Well, nevertheless, the comrades banded together, draping coral, ruby-red, and white shawls, over available, accepting places, beautifying the mansion in hopes of instilling the Valentine's Day spirits in the hearts of everyone!
The angel heard the prince's cry and floated to the shiny, waxed floor, Marth gobbling him up and smothering him with kisses on his appled cheeks while Pit squirmed about childishly in protest and glee.
"Hee hee! Stop it, Marth!"
And with a few more pecks, Prince Marth's lips stepped their fatal assault, boring a handsome grin, "As you wish... Sweetheart, there are a few more vases that need roses. I need you to find Princess Peach and ask her for more... Do you think you can do that for me?"
Wide-eyed, Pit nodded, his locks of chocolate bouncing, "Prince Marth can count on Pit!"
"I know I can..." the man chuckled at the boy's response, enjoying the innocent taste that dripped from his lips as he caved close for an extra, chaste kiss. He liberated him from his clutches, the boy taking flight in search for the self-proclaimed Princess of the sweet holiday. She could be anywhere by now, doing various tasks all at once. Pit was assigned the role of "Cupid", sending telegrams and gifts and everything of the sort from secret admirers!
Valentine's Day was a day away, and he could hardly wait! He found it utterly ecstatic that earthlings had such a holiday. There was nothing like this in Angel Land.
Making his way out of the door by air, he heard an unceremonious disturbance in the dining room storage, that fact alone making it interestingly suspicious. Curious-natured, the brunet advanced towards the noise; the sounds appeared to be emitting solely from the kitchen!
With a few steps closer to the white, double doors, Pit burst into the room and flicked on the light, expecting to find Pikachu or Squirtle digging their noses into the treats that were stored securely behind them, but much to his astonishment, it was a frozen Link, cradling a crystalline bowl in his arms while stuffing his face with the Valentine's Day chocolates and other sugary delicacies. They were reserved ultimately for the telegrams the "Cupid" was supposed to deliver on Valentine's Day!
Poor Pit nearly had a heart attack!
Hyperventilating, the angel boomed, "What is Link doing in here?!"
Realizing that he wouldn't lose his head—it wasn't Princess Peach that caught him red-handed—Link plopped another caramel-chocolate piece in his greedy opening, wiping away the evidence and withering at the unbelievable creaminess of the velvety piece.
"What's it to ya? I'm eating candy."
"Candy that does not belong to Link!! How is Pit supposed to carry out his mission tomorrow if all the candy is in Link's tummy?!" he peeped, like a yellow, fluffy chickadee, grappling for the heavy bowl, "Give it here right now!"
Link thoughtfully stole a cherry-flavored lollipop from the assorted bunch before releasing it, removing the bothersome wrapper, his happy lips twitching.
"I don't see what the problem is. I only got..." he paused to calculate, "...eighteen chocolate turtles, five packs of jelly beans and a few pops."
Pit's teeny jaw dropped to his knees as he bent over slightly, his arms dangling like a little, spider monkey.
"What?!" he balled his fists, "Link had better behave, or else Cupid will skip over Link and he will have no candies or gifts from his sweetheart!"
"I wish someone would—Wait. 'Sweetheart'? Ha. Link has no sweetheart, child. I'm as free as a bird, and I plan to keep it that way."
Bewildered beyond his ultra-limited mind, Pit cocked his head a degree to the left. The Hylian blonde, an above-average looking man such as himself with incalculable admirers, hadn't a sweetheart?
Inconceivable.
"Huh? Link does not have a sweetheart for Valentine's Day?!"
Link twirled the lollipop in his mouth by its white stem, tapping his feet for some inexplicable reason, "Nope. Not everyone has a sweetheart for Valentine's Day, and not everyone's unhappy about it. I prefer not having a partner. Less conflict."
Pit flailed his arms as if he were going to take flight without the use of his handy, feathery appendages, "B-But!! Pit and Prince Marth do not have 'conflict'! When Pit is sad, Prince Marth cheers him up with kisses! A-And when Pit has a bad dream, Prince Marth holds him really, really tight and tells the evil demons to go away! And—! And Prince Marth says so many special things to Pit it makes his heart beat so fast and he feels so special! Pit bets having a sweetheart will make Link feel happy and special and Link will always want to be with that person—Oh! Idea! He will go and find Link a special sweetheart after he gets more red roses!"
The little one prepared to bolt out the door, but Link caught him just in the nick of time by the ring of his toga.
"Whoa, whoa there. That's okay, Pit. I understand you want me to have someone to be happy—and I find that very, very sweet and nice of you—but I'm happy by myself—"
"—But—!"
"—No 'but's. Now, I'll leave you be so you can hang your ribbons or bake your cupcakes or whatever it is you guys're doin' this year."
Link took a few steps forward in the direction for the exit doors, but stopped to eye the bowl and its tempting delights... Pit did not see the lustful gaze he was giving it, his head bowed and his countenance gloomy, for he was sad for his comrade... Even though Link claimed to be happy on his own, Pit had first-hand knowledge of how happy he could be if he had a special someone like he himself did, and as compassionate as his soul was, he wished, more than anything, for Link to experience those wonderful emotions.
"L-Link... Pit wants to—"
When he finally glanced up, the bowl of sweets were gone, the Hylian nowhere to be found, and the white, double doors wavered slightly, tattle-telling to the brunet that he'd just made his great escape out into the dining hall.
"Ah! NO!" he bolted through the doors and into the dining hall, "LINK!! Come back right noooow!"
Cackling his head off as if he'd hit the sugar-high jackpot, Link ran as fast as his short, little legs would allow... smirking with his eyes sealed shut in success.
"HA!! Sorry pal!! But this is all mine—!!"
—Inevitably, he collided with... seemingly a brick wall, his precious bowl along with its candies, taking flight. Dazed, Link collapsed onto the hard floor at the impact, bombarded with bullets of foil-wrapped chocolates and the like, the crystalline dome shattering into untraceable fractions, dispersing about the glossy floor.
"Argh... D-Dammit..."
Soothing his noggin, the blondie peered through his ruined bangs and up to the obstacle that caused this disturbance. However, that obstacle breathed. It had unruly, blinding, indigo hair, piercing orbs the same hue as the archer's, and—as Link learned on the field and was reassured just then—had an intimidating body roughly molded from titanium.
His enemy, the man who desired nothing more than to rid the world of his existence... Ike.
"A little warning for me to stop would've been nice, thank you," Link made known, shifting onto his wobbling legs.
"Hmmmm... Nope. S'not my fault you're a klutz."
"Ike, please. It's too damn early for this."
Ike smirked with those handsome lips, bending down to pick up a random piece of fallen candy, "Stealing candy, huh? You're such a kid... Oh! Well, whaddaya know, my favorite combination... Chocolate and Peanut Butter."
The mercenary held the piece of deliciousness an inch away from the archer's round nose, wearing a daunting, daring smile. The teddy bear on the pink foil had beady, onyx eyes and carried a heart in its furry paws that red, "Be Mine?"
Link gasped... Did he say... Chocolate and Peanut Butter?
"Aw, how cute. 'Be Mine?' I most certainly will..."
If Ike valued his existence as well as his god-given ability to reproduce, he would've relinquished that treat as rapidly as he could. But, as he loved to do, Ike was a master at successfully pushing Link's buttons.
"Ike... Drop it. Now."
The taller of the two simpered, peeling off the wrapper and tossing it to the floor with just a flick of his fingers. He positioned it near his lips which were pursed to readily devour the chocolate mammal. Link quaked, his fists accumulating heat.
"Ike, I am warning you. Give it here... or you'll regret ever laying your eyes on it."
Ike descended to become eyelevel with the Hylian man, glowering, "And what're you gonna do about it, Short Stuff? Oh, that's right... Nothing. You don't have the gumdrops."
Link chuckled at his comrade's unoriginal pun, "You'll be the one gumdrop-less if you don't release my goddamn—"
"—OH NOOOOOOO~!"
The pitter-patter of the angel's sandals striking madly against the floor tore the two men from their intense gazes of hate, Ike smartly dropping his chocolate. Out of breath, Pit came between them with an expression of utter horror at the hundreds of candies, along with glass, that he was assigned to deliver abstractly covering the dining floor. His palms smacked his cheeks with a "click" as his orbs widened and his lips parted, creating a well-distinguished "O".
"WHO BROKE PIT'S BOWL?!"
Ike laughed, "Link, being a klutz. He was running really fast down the aisle; he ran into me really hard and the bowl fell and the candy spilled everywhere. I yelled at him, to warn him to stop, but he kept going and—"
"—That's a damn lie!! You even said yourself you—!"
"—Hello?! I heard a crash and—Oh my!" Prince Marth ran to his lover's side—who began to quiver—spotting the floor, "Oh love... Whatever happened in here?!"
"Link tried to steal everyone's candy," tattle-told Ike, folding his arms, "He just couldn't wait another day."
Pit kneeled to the ground, holding the candy and glass in his palms with a long, sour visage, "Pit told Link to not eat the candy. And then Link stole the bowl—Pit's precious, Icarian bowl from his goddess—and now it is... it is broken!! Pit's special bowl is broken and it is all Link's faaaaaault!"
The boy discharged into tears, Prince Marth falling upon one knee to comfort his little lover, mindful not to cut himself with the bits of glass, "There, there... Come now, sweet pea. Prince Marth will purchase you a new, special bowl! Do not cry..."
"B-B-But Pit w-wants that special bowl!"
Link couldn't believe it. He gaped at Ike, who shook his head shamefully at him as a response for his dumbfounded look.
"What?! How was I supposed to know that stupid bowl was—?!"
"—PIT'S BOWL IS NOT 'STUPID'!!" the angel demonically chirped, defending it fiercely by popping hotly on his toes, the tips of their noses abrading the other, "LINK GETS NO CANDY TOMORROW! NO CANDY, FLOWERS, CARDS—NOTHING!! PIT SEES WHY LINK DOES NOT HAVE A SWEETHEART: HE IS ROTTEN!!"
...Link's heart froze, his lips drooping as the angel reclined into his lover's arms, babbling tearfully in his chest. Prince Marth cuddled him close, cooing and stroking the spot between his wings—which, generally made him giggle involuntarily—to ease him. His sapphires caught those of Link's, which seemed to be neutral and understanding at first, but then they quickly morphed into a mild form of resentment. Well, he made his angel cry!
Ike, to the blonde's surprise, wore a peculiar mask to enclose his pleasure. He looked, lost. Or conflicted. Well, whatever he was feeling... he was sure to be happy.
At a loss of words, Link raised his hands, "Okay. I'll just leave now..."
He stepped over the candies and started for the faraway door, before stopping next to the mercenary...
"I hope you're satisfied with yourself..."
And for the very first time around, he did not have a quick word, saying or phrase to fire back with.
"I Love You"
(Valentine's Day Eve)
Preparing his cupid wardrobe for tomorrow's big event, Pit hung his red and pink toga on his doorknob, along with the sack of letters and telegrams he was to distribute tomorrow morning. He had been pining endlessly to know what Prince Marth had gotten him! He absolutely could not wait!
Dressed in his little, pink shorts and a snug, black tank, the angel scrambled onto his partner's bed, who was busy catching up on his novel... Noticing the shift in weight, the noble perked, "Ah? We're ready for bed?" he inquired to his love, stowing away the book as well as his reading spectacles.
Pit nodded, "Yes..."
"Alright," Marth nestled closer to his angel, the two sharing their ceremonious "Goodnight Kiss" before turning out the light, but after taking a brief yet deep gaze into the blatant amethysts of Pit, he saw a lack of luster, he sensed an insufficient amount of... happiness. And this was something to be alerted about. Usually the boy would be harassing him with many of his angel kisses, and he was practically made of sugar, but tonight, it was... different. He'd been acting this way since the untimely death of his darling bowl...
"Uh oh... Pit has sad lips. What is bothering Prince Marth's little cupcake?"
Pit looked around aimlessly before meeting his lover's pupils.
"Pit... Pit feels sad because... because of what he said to Link."
The noble bobbed his head lightly, "Ahh... the whole 'bowl' incident?"
The boy confirmed with a look of sheer disappointment, "Yes. Pit feels sad because he told Link that he was rotten. And... And that he will never have a sweetheart. And Link looked so sad when Pit said that... He could feel Link's heart break in his body: he hurt his feelings. B-But Pit did not mean to! Link broke his precious bowl... and that made him very sad and angry."
Abruptly, the brunet yanked the red sheets over his cranium, mumbling, "...Link probably hates Pit, now. He thinks he is a meanie, too. He is never going to talk to him again..."
Prince Marth giggled heartily... This boy was a hoot. Never had he met such a simplistic being...
"Darling, you are not a 'meanie'," the noble pulled the covers from over his head, revealing Pit's flushed face and tooted lips, "You were just very, very mad. You spoke from your heart, so it is okay! It's natural for one to do so. And yes, if you ask me, Link's feelings were hurt by your words, and I'm more than positive he is sorry for breaking your bowl... If I were you—and I wanted to make him feel better—I'd still give him his gifts and candy. It's Valentine's Day, the day of love and kindness and friendship. Everyone deserves something. He'd be even more sad without any chocolates!"
The angel wriggled in the sheets, "And Pit doesn't want anyone to be sad on Valentine's Day!"
"Well there you are, love! Your problem is solved!"
Pit snickered jollily, "Thank you, Prince Marth~!"
"You're welcome, sweetie. Anytime."
The prince pecked his temple as he rolled over to turn out the light, when the little one tugged on his blouse for his attention once more.
"WAIT!"
"Hm? There is something else that you would like to discuss?"
"Ahnn... No..." the boy played with his fingers, "...Pit just wants to know... to know if... if Prince Marth will tell Pit what he got for him...?"
Marth laughed, "Now, honey, can't you just wait one more day? Ha, not even a day—a few hours?"
"PIT DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING! HE JUST WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE SPECIAL, SPECIAL GIFT IS! He has been thinking about what it could be so much that his brain is starting to hurt!!"
The swordsman grinned, ruffling his soft, peach-scented hair affectionately.
"You'll find out soon enough, my little cherub... Soon enough."
With orbs shimmering light, the boy peeped, "Will Pit like it?!"
"I hope he does," Prince Marth dramatically tapped his chin, looking to the ceiling as if in pure, concentrated thought, which entranced the angel, "Although... he might not be ready for it yet."
Pit shot up at this nonsense, clenching his fists declaring, "That will not be a problem! Pit is ready for anything!"
The bluenette gently gripped his lifted chin, kissing his soft, minty lips heavily, the boy blushing at the princely lip lock, even a light, little moan escaping through the open edges of his mouth. Their gazes mingled with one another, butterflies in the brunet's tummy, "I surely hope he will be."
"Is it... beautiful...?" Pit delicately questioned with warmed, heavy breath, receiving a peck close to his ear where the noble amorously replied in such a tone the boy's knees shook, "It'll be wonderful. You will see."
"Complétez-vous Moi"
(Link's Dorm)
The clock finally struck twelve: it was officially Valentine's Day throughout the vicinity. Link lie awake in his warm, comfy bed, reflecting on the strident words nearly resound in the walls of his head, bouncing about here and there. And he hadn't a clue as to why.
"...PIT SEES WHY LINK DOES NOT HAVE A SWEETHEART: HE IS ROTTEN!!"
"...HE IS ROTTEN!!"
"...ROTTEN!!"
"'Rotten'..."
Why did that continue to plague him well into the lovey-dovey night? He was perfectly, utterly, inarguably happy being single! Hell!! It wasn't a negative thing! And then Pit's bowl... He caused the spilling of an angel's tears... Yeah, he felt remorseful, but seriously, what does a guy need to do to get some candy? And then... Ike.
That man...! He'd been out to get him since Day One for whatever reason! So what, Link accidently spilled a bit of hot chocolate on him when they first were introduced that winter, but he apologized! And since then the pair have been butting heads... It... It wasn't necessarily a bit of hot chocolate... More like his whole glass... But nonetheless, he said he was utterly, sincerely sorry! What more did he want? Link endeavored to repair their negative first impressions of one another by giving off friendlier vibes and striking up conversation, but the mercenary simply brushed him off with either a distant, chilling glare or a rude chuckle. The Hylian didn't understand, but that was their relationship. As long as Ike didn't overstep his boundaries—and he adored wiggling his foot teasingly over that drawn line—he was fine with however he treated him.
But about the "sweetheart" poppycock...
Just as Pit said...
"...Pit bets having a sweetheart will make Link feel happy and special and Link will always want to be with that person..."
Could this be true...?
"You Complete Me"
(Valentine's Day)
Link's rest was interrupted by a peevish round of ear-splitting cheers and chirps. He capped his ears with his hand and a shoulder, having some idea of who was behind the wooden door. Once it was delicately pried open, before the blonde could obtain a glimpse of the interrupter of his sleep, the door was flung open, and he was mercilessly attacked by the tentacles of Pit's arms.
"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, LINK!!"
Fuddled, the half-asleep, half-awake Hylian bat his long eyelashes, "Wha...? Why are...? I thought you were—?"
"Pit is so SORRY, Link!! He is very, very sorry! He did not mean what he said! So he decided to deliver Link's gifts first!!"
The little angel—all dolled-up in his "Cupid" toga—left the blonde's dorm and leapt out into the corridor to rummage through his obese, pink sack of gifts. Link drug his nails through his scalp, a yawn tearing itself from him; he still hadn't a clue why he was here.
It was far too early.
About... 6:00 A.M.
On a free day.
Still not consciously aware of what day it was—or even where he was, oddly enough—the archer questioned, "Pit what're ya doin' up this—?"
"—SURPRISE!!"
And in a split second, Link was "glomped" and toppled over by an oversized teddy bear, bombarded with the orthodox heart boxes filled with gourmet chocolates, a beautiful, overdone bouquet overflowing with red, red roses and other heartfelt goodies.
That certainly shook him out of his trance...
"LINK HAS A SWEETHEART~!"
"What?!" Link blared, setting the gargantuan bear to his left, marinating in the sea of abundant candy about him, discombobulated, yet wide awake.
"Link has a sweetheart! They sent him that teddy bear, those roses, the candy and—ah!" the hyper one dived deep into the front pocket of his billowing tunic, comically sticking out the tip of his tongue, "—They wrote Link a love noooote!"
He skipped to his fallen friend, happily smirking for him as he thrust forth this elegantly-crafted piece of art. Link blank, receiving it apprehensively. He inspected the card's cover. Perhaps it was possible that he'd gotten the room number's mixed up or some other fault, but the large, script, beautiful letters "L", "I", "N", and "K" persuaded him definitely that this card was indeed his.
Link took a testing glance at the angel, "You didn't 'find' me a sweetheart, did you?"
"Oh no! Pit did nothing of the sort! This surprised him as well! Open the card! Open it, open it!" the boy pressed, clapping and nudging his buddy in his backside.
Link fingered the glittery flap of his lace-embroidered scarf edges of his... very lovely card, and gently opened it, peering inside, a pleasant aroma wafting from it. To his left began a relatively short poem written in cursive that looked painfully time-consuming...
Pit squealed in the background—"It is so beautiful! Link's sweetheart is talented!"—as Link began to read...
You are a creation of beauty,
With a body genuinely divine.
Oh the many things I would do to you—
If I were to make you mine.
Your presence excites me,
I know not how to react.
My heart—
It pounds—
And nothing is sound—
It is difficult to remain intact.
You are precious.
Sumptuous.
I am anything but nonchalant.
For I have never been so sure in my life—
That you are the one I want.
A cancerous desire burns within me—
And it has been from the start.
I am sure of my feelings—
My dear, sweet Link—
You have captured my very heart.
"Ooooh~! That is so sweet! Pit's heart is about to explode with happiness and joy!"
"Hmm..."
Suddenly... and he lacked the knowledge why... The Hylian began to experience this... strange, fuzzy, light-headed, comfortably warm sensation circulating throughout his frame... He was mesmerized, traumatized by this endearing, somewhat suggestive composition. It was unlike anything he'd ever gotten from what he could recollect presently.
Perhaps... this was the feeling Pit was referring to... that "special" feeling... that "happy" feeling...
"All of this... it's from... this person?"
"Mmhmm!! Everything! Now, Pit must go and deliver more Valentine gifts, but he thinks Link should figure out who his secret, special sweetheart is!"
Pit skipped as light as a flower into the corridor with a song on his tongue, tossing his pink sack over his little shoulder, "Happy Valentine's Day, Link! Good luck, hee hee!"
"Je t'adore"
It's breakfast time in the manor. Everyone gathered around the long table, freely exchanging extra gifts and candies and boasting about who had received the most cards and gifts. However, the real winners were Prince Marth Lowell and Pit, who were unanimously banished to a corner for their excessive snuggling, kissing and sickening cooing.
The kitchen staff was serving all-you-can-eat chocolate waffles in shapes of hearts with an abundance of fresh, authentic, country maple syrup, which Link thought was the perfect way to kick off this most-exciting Valentine's Day.
And, as always, Ike just had to sprout up from who-knows-where to intrude and spoil his happiness... For as Link found his way to his seat, with exceeding haste, toting his "sandwhiched", piled-high pastries, he accidentally trampled upon the mercenary's feet like a demented horse.
"Ah! I-I'm sorry!!" apologized Link before seeing who he stumbled ever so intrusively upon. Ant it was the handsome swordsman... Suddenly, he wasn't so apologetic anymore.
"Oh, you," the blonde graveled with broken breath. And what happened next utterly bewildered him beyond compare. Ike turned to his right—shuffling out of the way and onto the far right of the aisle—and exited the dining room with his head parallel to the ground, all eyes plastered to his back.
Link blinked perplexedly, but simpered privately to himself in pleasure.
Ha, nothing to say, huh? That's new.
The delighted blonde settled himself in a seat, stuffing forkfuls of the squared, succulent waffles and planned out his entire day while doing so, one question stuck on his mind.
Who was his crush?
"I Adore You"
Link paced to and fro aimlessly in Princess Toadstool's rose garden rescanning his given poem for any encrypted messages or codes that would help him in resolving this Valentine's Day mystery.
Prince Marth prodded through the multi-colored labyrinth in search for more roses for his petit ami (Boyfriend), fatedly stumbling across the pondering archer...
"Ah, Link! Didn't think I'd find you here. What are you up to? Oh, perhaps you are looking for some roses for your sweetheart as well?" the charming man inquired, taking a whiff of his mammoth, deluxe bouquet of vibrant, pink roses. The blonde, approaching his noble companion, scratched his noggin.
"Tsh. No—Hey... Who told you?"
"Pit told me, of course. He was so very excited for you and restless when he found your gifts and trinkets in the storage room. I have never seen him so bubbly. It's adorable. Say, is that the letter they gave you?"
Link scoffed, "Yeah. One of those secret admirer things where they leave no name!"
"Well, Link. It would defeat the purpose of it remaining a secret if they included their name... May I take a look-see? I might be of little assistance, if you do not mind me asking, of course..."
"Eh..." Link surrendered to the riddle, Prince Marth receiving the embroidered card.
"Oh my. Whoever crafted this really took their time, not to mention the extraordinary amount of effort they injected into this piece..."
He pried it open delicately and began to read...
"I think I got it now! Maybe it's from a fan—!"
"—Oh that is not possible," the prince shot down, "Pit strictly delivered gifts and candy to residents in the mansion from residents. No one else, so that way things would not get confused. So at least it is narrowed down: whoever sent you this must be from within the vicinity."
What? Within Smash Mansion?
Improbable!
Ceruleans sparked in conflict, "Huh? Oh no... that's not even—"
"—Ho. And by the tone of this piece, it subtlety sounds like this person is actually," Prince Marth pulled the card from his face, a smirk on his fair lips, "...a man."
"Wh... What? A man?!" Link was overcome with unnerving tingles, his skin prickly, the little hairs standing on end, "H-How?! I thought you and Pit were the only gay ones?!"
The prince narrowed his eyes into alerting slits. He did not perceive the way his friend spat the term "gay" too positively, and Link sensed this, swiftly rewording his brazen statement.
"U-Uh, I-I mean... I thought you and Pit were—um... Y'know... Nah. That's not possible..! It can't be a guy!"
"And maybe you are correct, but take heed at the specific selection of words. 'Oh the many things I would do to you if I were to make you mine...'? 'You are the one I want'? Do you see my point? 'To make you mine'? 'Want'? Those are possessive words, and possessiveness is a natural trait a man is born with. A woman would not use such words to express her gentle emotions. It would be a more... soft-sounding composition. But this, my dear Link... This is powerful. From this, I feel that he wants to have you for himself. He wants to hold you and love you... Whoever this may be, he feels very, very passionate towards you. I would certainly love to see who this turns up to be."
The blonde shrugged his shoulders, a look of disappointment and fear scribbled all about his face like the drawings of a toddler, "A man...? Oh brother."
Prince Marth giggled handsomely, contently sniffing his roses as thoughts of his precious birthed a warmth from within, "...Pit means everything to me. The world... and everything in it. My heart revolves around him twenty-four seven. He brings me so much joy; I've never felt so appreciated and cherished in all my years, all the while by this sweet, sweet little boy of mine—"
"—And that may work for you two, but this is me we're talking about! Link! Who necessarily doesn't... swing that way!"
"Mm. And I am aware of this. But... um... what is the phrase? 'Do not knock it until you try it'? Perhaps that is it, but anyhow, I never thought I would fall for the same gender, either. But I did, and there wasn't a force in this universe that could stop the tugging at my heartstrings. I was hooked to his charm, wit, innocence... I overlooked the fact that he was a male, and we fell in love. It is one of the best decisions I could have ever made. Ever."
Link... smiled, "Sounds all sweet and... sweet. Say, what're you two doing tonight anyway?"
Marth's lashes flickered as his eyes grew two, full sizes, an explosive crimson, creating air bubbles across his nose and cheeks.
"A-Ah? Tonight? Umm... I-I have a reservation in place at a nice restaurant nearby. I also bought him a promise ring. And—"
"—And you're planning on having sex after that, aren't you?"
The noble swordsman flinched, hiding his visage in the bouquet, "...Well, when you say it like that. E-Enough of this. I-I must get going; Pit's ring is ready. I wish you the best of luck with your sweetheart!"
And the graceful, tall man waved to the blonde in departure, vaporizing behind a wall of orange, sun-kissed roses. Link, however, stood in his same area, allowing the words to sink deep, deep, deep into the depths of his skull. He saw the prince's expression soften and tint whenever speaking of the angel of whom he adored... It was a feeling he could not comprehend. Prince Marth did not care about his love's gender? It did not bother him? And they were possibly going to... have sex?! How does one do that with the same gender?! Where does it go?!
'...I overlooked the fact that he was male...'
Hmm...
The Hylian sacredly close his card, and startlingly, a small piece of what was a pink, heavily-decorated stationery card floated to his worn shoes. By instinct, he grappled desperately for the piece until it was safe in his palms.
Another card...?
He just as nervously opened the second card, racking his mind on what could have possibly been written inside this time around. It retained the lacy, identical script cursive as the much larger card, though it was a little compact.
He had to squint a little to obtain an accurate reading...
Above the Earth—
Where jewels flutter bright,
Is where I will wait—
Come ten at night.
"These accursed riddles! 'Above the Earth'? What in the world could that mean? Am I supposed to meet him somewhere? And at ten o' clock? Oh geez, I said 'him'..."
And the Hylian engrossed himself in this brand-new puzzle, his heart—and he once more did not know why—felt warm and... fuzzy. Amid the strong possibility that his charmer could be a man.
"Restez-vous Avec Moi..."
(10:00 P.M.)
"'Above the Earth, where jewels flutter bright...' Clearly this person is referring to the balcony, Link!"
Fortunately for him, Link had gotten assistance from his most-intelligent friend Princess Zelda, who was just as hyped about the chance that a man had a thing for him as the Hylian was, that is... if we has hyped about it at all.
"Would you like to know who I think it is?" she had asked him, "...For some reason, I think it may be Ike."
The blonde one just barely slipped though the claws of death, for he almost choked on his chocolate bunny. Such a thing was not even imaginable. Ike? Meanie Ike? The Ike who wanted him dead? That Ike? The very, very same sarcastic, demented, incompetent, tall, striking, handsome, sexy, delectable Ike?
Upon refuting her idea up, down, left and right, the lovely heiress softly replied with, "You have never heard of the 'Kindergarten Crush'? The one that secretly likes you is the one who pesters you the most?"
Link had never heard of such a ludicrous tale, but it did not sound too farfetched, which terrified the petite man. Ike? Liking him? The probability of that was the equivalent of a snowball's chance in Hades.
Well, there was only one possible way to find out who this person was.
Slowly, yet with butterflies and just about everything else with wings, jumbling restlessly and ceaselessly in his stomach, he climbed the final flight of stairs. Link stood before a porcelain door, all aflutter, grabbing the cold, bronze knob...
Alright, here goes nothin'...
Welcomed chillingly by a cooling breeze, the Hylian poked his head through the crack, looking every which way for any signs of life.
"...Hello?"
...No one was there.
He stretched his neck as far as it could, venturing out a little bit more. He peered to the left of him, and to the right, but there wasn't a visible, fleshy soul there besides himself. Link peeked around the few corners in case they couldn't hear him.
"...Uh, hello?"
No audible answer. The teddy bear, the roses, the candies and the sweet, sweet note...
It was all a sick joke.
Link dragged his feet back to the entrance of the balcony, approaching the white, iron rail, detonating into laughter before the glistening, ever-present moon.
Ha, I should've known. There wasn't a secret admirer. Eh, it's my fault for getting caught up in such nonsense in the first place...
With his body pressed wholly onto the rail, oceanic eyes cast themselves to the beautiful, cloudless, Valentine's Day night. His heart... felt indifferent. He didn't feel sad, but neither did he feel happy. He'd truly gotten excited about there being someone that fancied him even... even if it was another man. But... to think that someone also found it just hilarious to toy with his emotions...
His lids drooped, eyes befalling upon the lavish view of the landscape before him, doing something he'd never done before.
Doubt himself.
Maybe... Maybe Pit was right. Maybe I am... Rotten—
There was a shriek of aged rust, and the next thing the fazed Hylain knew, he was being slightly propelled forward, along with the detached rail, bound to kiss the white, marble steps hundreds of feet below.
And much to his dismay, he was Clawshot-less.
—Ah.
Wobbling on his last foot, Link allowed gravity to act upon him, accepting his dreadful fate, when out of the crisp air—clasped about his upper chest and waist—he could feel two limbs embrace him angelically.
Link dangled diagonally over the edge in silence, blinking.
Why was he not flattened like a pancake yet?
"Are you alright...?" asked a silky, unfamiliar voice. The archer blank and the person who rescued him began to reel him back towards the balcony, no longer prone to danger.
"Uh... Yeah, I'm—"
Link caught the face of his savior and choked.
"—IKE?!"
The mercenary?!
What—?! How—?!
Ike—tinted with an adorable baby-pink—scratched his scalp, looking elsewhere.
"Wh-Why are you—?!"
Link backed away, pointing.
"—Careful!!" boomed the man, jolting forth with an extended hand in case his comrade was needed to be saved again, and quickly reclined it, now rivaling a garden tomato.
Link steered clear of the area, a little worked up and on the brink of losing his mind. Ike saved him? Him?! Of all people?
Why was he here, anyway?! Surely he would have pushed him off!
The smaller of the two circled the suspicious-acting man before him, his cyan irises strained with fiery concentration, looking over at his back, chest, legs... everything.
Ike... began to melt.
"Why are you here?" demanded the Hylian.
"You mean you didn't get it...?"
"Get wha—"
—The note.
The love letter.
It was from... Ike?
Link's senses... solidified. Princess Zelda was correct. Prince Marth was correct.
Ike took a handful of nervous steps in the dumbfounded blonde's direction, noticing his look of recollection, which indeed let him know that he knew precisely what he was referring to.
"You...? It was... you?"
Their gazes interlocked, Ike gently grinning—dimples and all—terrifying Link. He thought he'd never live to see the day that man directed a smile he way; he hypothesized some months before that his face would fracture if such a thing happened.
"Y-Yeah... it was... it was me."
"The teddy bear?"
"Yeah."
"The roses?"
"Mmhm."
"The candies, the chocolates, the... the love letter?"
Ike blushed, "Uh... Y-Yeah."
Link shook his head in complete, irreversible denial, "But, I don't understand. You... Y-You hate me—"
"—No! Please, don't say that!"
The blonde gave him a look of misunderstanding, and upon meeting those pupils, the mercenary averted his vision, his shade of cute, cherry-red intensified.
"I've... I've never, ever hated you, Link. I... I've always felt strongly about you—"
"—Then why did you treat me so... bad? Why did you treat me like you hated me? Why? If you loved me...?"
Ike took him by his right hand, luring him close so that they were a mere inch apart. Link felt dizzy, he could practically hear his comrade's heartbeat, and his very own organ wasn't a far cry from matching its frantic speed.
Locking eyes, the tall, handsome man confessed, "I-I do love you. I just... I just didn't know how to express it. I am sorry for... hurting you if I did, which I am sure I have. I just... I just..."
Purposely trailing off to drown in the helpless in the pools of cyan, Ike gently urged him closer, apprehensively minimizing the distance between them by daring to cave in... for a kiss.
But the jittery, boggled Hylian denied him, not maliciously, but he did not feel... comfortable. So much was happening... Too much!
Ike predicted beforehand that this would happen, his heart and mind already prepped for it, but... that did not keep that aching, burning feeling from overpowering that constructed barrier.
"...S-Sorry. Too soon?"
Link—flushed and overpowered by numerous sensations and emotions—swallowed, innocently batting his lashes, "I've... I've never been... with a... a man before."
Ike stood there, millimeters from claiming the sweet, pink petals, billions upon billions of flashing thoughts... crippling him.
He knew where this was heading already.
Why, that was just a polite way of saying, "I'm not like you."
He was so stupid... To think that Link, much less the man that genuinely harnessed dislike toward him, would one, be homosexual, and two, take any sort of interest in him. Why should he? He'd treated him like crap this entire time.
He... He deserved someone better than that.
Someone better than him.
Despite his embarrassment, sadness and heartbreak, the indigo-haired individual smiled that gorgeous smile once more, "I see. I'm sorry for dragging you all the way here, then. Really, my sincere apologies."
Link scrunched his golden brows in utter bewilderment as his comrade held both his hands, "Thanks for listening. I appreciate it."
And with an effortless turn of the heel, Ike Greil started off for the exit. Within two feet of it, Link was befallen with a revelation.
One... directly from his heart.
"I didn't say I wouldn't try!" he ejaculated involuntarily, but he meant every syllable.
...The taller of the pair's steps ceased. He looked around, but focused in on the Hylian, turning about... Link caught his shining hues, blotches of red staining his prominent cheeks. His heart was racing, he felt weak and sweaty. His hands were shaking and his knees betrayed him. It was as if he were undergoing dome extreme transformation. But no, that wasn't the case at all.
He was simply falling in love.
"I... I, uh... Someone once taught me to overlook gender. And I wasn't sure if I could do that—I-If I could handle being with another man. When I read that card, though, my heart pounded. I'd never felt such a sensation before. Such... a strong one. I felt so happy. Someone actually cared about me. Loved me. A-And even if they are of the same gender, why would I say 'no' to someone who is capable of giving such feelings?"
Ike scooped him onto his frame fluidly, Link caught off-guard since he spilled his emotions staring intently to the ground. But the males partook in an intimate, deep gander, Link's nerves relaxed, but vibrating excitedly.
"Thank you, Link. I was not wrong about you."
"And thank you for being right about me. And for the gifts. How'd you know that my favorite chocolates were strawberry-crème filled gourmet squares?"
"You would be amazed at how much I already know... So erm... is that a... 'y-y-yes'?"
Link snickered, Ike was adorable, "Yeah. It's a 'y-y-yes'," he mimicked playfully and harmlessly, "But no more meanness!"
Ike's eyes glittered with adoration... I promise to treat you like a prince.
The couple stood amongst the stars, moon and the heaven's cramped in between, lost in one another's eyes, for usually they would be bickering and quarreling over something juvenile and fixable. But now that they were happily "in love", they were able to obtain an even deeper, more personal look of their partner's true beauty.
But personally, Ike liked to see Link a little feisty. That's why he loved getting him worked up; his fatal glower and unmasked teeth were irresistibly cute.
"...It's getting late, and a little cold," spoke the golden-haired one, though Ike was pretty warm and comfy to hold on to. He smelt nice, too, just like the card given to him... Spicy and sweet.
"Yeah, we should head back inside. I-I'll walk you to your dorm!" he eagerly offered. A little too eager, which he became consciously aware of, fake-coughing and blushing madly. Link sniggered a bit, resting his spinning head onto his newfound mate's shoulder, "I would like that."
"Stay With Me..."
Link resided on this first floor of the mansion, the newer members occupying a dorm on the top.
Ike escorted his new lover to his dormitory, edgy, jumpy, and debating on whether or not he should hold his hand. He could admit the kiss was a taking it a little too fast, and so he found himself taking the extra mile to not make Link feel uncomfortable. But plainly holding a hand was harmless, right?
It was too quiet, and not because nearly everyone was snoozing away or out on the town. The men walked in silence which seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Link was awaiting the man to do something besides stride alongside him. He was far too chicken to ask for anything, whatever that anything may be. He wanted to start a conversation, but some mysterious force kept his lips pressed against one another. He was new to this... that's somewhat of an excuse to not take the initiative, right?
Well, it was too late, now. They'd already arrived at the blonde's door. They faced each other, though with their heads bowed...
"Uh... Thanks, Ike."
"Y-Yeah! You're welcome! Anytime, heh!"
"Heh, right..."
And they paused here, as if expecting something from one another. But neither of them budged.
"Umm... So, I'll... see you tomorrow morning?" Link questioned, his hands shuddering in his pockets.
"Yeah! I'll wait for you right here!"
"Okay..."
"G-Goodnight, Link...!"
"Goodnight, Ike..."
Link regretfully turned to open his door, but... couldn't.
And unbelievably, a force drove him to do the unthinkable.
The Hylian allowed himself to be overcome with a strong sensation. He stood before his new lover, hands clasping his wide shoulders for balance and aid for a height boost. He shifted onto his toes and planted a kiss on the left side of his hot cheek. And this occurred in all but a second.
Ike's face reddened, steam spewing from his ears, figuratively. Coming to his senses, the blonde staggered, his lips quivering.
"UHH—"
Link bolted inside his room, slamming the door and heaving quite heavily against it. He sank to the floor like quicksand, "What in the hell did I just do...?"
Ike on the other hand, stood unmoving, in post-shock. He felt his cheek, where Link's lips had been mere seconds ago, and blinked umpteenth times.
He... kissed me. Link kissed me.
And progressively, a grand smile played on his thin, happy lips.
"Yes!" he hissed, molding a fist, "Yes!!"
The blonde, now able to stand alone with the strength returning to him, sighed an ecstatic, amazed sigh. He'd just kissed a man. Ike!
Scattered all over the floor were his chocolates, roses, candies that he'd left that morn... and that giant teddy bear that held a heart in his hands that bore, "Be Mine?"
"...Toujours."
"Pit's tummy is all full now... He is happy, hee hee..."
The angel, dressed in a elegant, black silk robe, nuzzled his head further into the prince's chest, yet inspecting his shiny, costly band given to him that night on their date.
"Ha, Prince Marth is very full, too, Pit."
"Prince Marth?"
"Yes?"
Pit stuck his ring finger in his face.
"Does this mean we are getting married? Princess Peach and Mario have those types of rings. Are Pit and Prince Marth going to get married, too?"
The young noble stared unwaveringly into the fresh amethysts, grasping his gentle hand and linking their fingers.
"Not yet, love. But one day. One a beautiful day... Maybe during the springtime. Would you like that?"
Searching for warmth that only his love could supply, the cherub pressed deeper into the breast of his amour, curtaining his lids...
"Yes. Pit would love that." They embraced like the lovers they were, lying comfortably. The noble caressed the exposed, creamy skin of the angel's beautiful backside, his wings responding not as strongly as he would've liked.
"Sleepy, love?"
Pit nodded in the midst of his dream, "Mm... hmm."
"Did you have fun today?"
"Uh huh... So much fun, hee... Thank you, Prince Marth, for being Pit's Valentine."
And the prince kissed his rosy, sweet-tasting cheek, "I love you, Pit. And you are certainly welcome. Sweet dreams, dear."
The drained boy fell victim to sleep, snoozing away in dreamland, fantasizing about his fairytale prince. With all this talk about sleep, the prince was finding himself nodding off as well. What happened to his 'special gift'? Turns out, it would just have to wait another time.
It was Valentine's Day; he'd spent the entire day by his mate's side dining and exchanging gifts, sharing feelings on a deep and intimate level like never before...
It couldn't get any more special than that.
"...Forever."
(February 15th)
There was a buzz circulating about the manor.
Ike and Link? Laughing together?
Smiling at one another? Heck, standing beside one another?!
That morning after their most eventful Valentine's Day ever, Ike faithfully kept his promise, pacing around the perimeter of the blonde's door in anxiety and anxiousness, a very bad mix.
Inside, Link was dressing himself in his traditional, green hero tunic, preparing for the new day and promising challenges before him. To complete his uniform, he capped his head with his signature green cap, grinning at his reflection.
And as always, there was that rebellious, errant strand that did not want to comply, which typically didn't bother him. But today, unexplainably, the blonde man spent the extra two minutes trying to put it in its place. He even went as far as checking himself over, judging whether he was presentable or not. Could this be because he had a new beau to impress?
The thought had him as red as his comrade's cape. By the time they'd met out in the corridor, the color let up somewhat.
Ike jolted at the opening of the door, "Ah! G-Good Morning, Link!"
Link smiled, "Mornin', Ike."
Silence.
"Um... Do you know what they're serving today?"
"N-Not really."
"Hmm, well we should find out, yeah?" Link suggested, giggling.
So in the end, Ike got his sweetheart that he'd been yearning for, and Link discovered one.
The new couple strolled down the hall, but this time, summoning the courage and brazenness to hold one another's hand.
It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Fin.
And there you have it.
Long? Yes. But it has a moral. Can you figure it out? -giggle-
Yeah, Hokage is sweetheart-less (ha ha) but I consider all of my reviewers my sweethearts. Ike's poem was horrendous. I thought it up; I'm not good with sentimental literature.
So... Happy Valentine's Day! I hope this was a special treat for you!
Much, Much Love,
HokageAkamaru